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Geocaching is a kind of electronic
scavenger hunt or paper chase. The aim is to find a treasure hidden in
nature, the so-called cache (“hidden storeroom”). With the help of GPS
handheld receivers, the geocacher is led to his/her destiny.
And off we go into the wildness! Similar to the navigation system in cars,
your receiver sets exactly your current position and tells you how far you
are away from your target. Just follow the arrow on your apparatus.
Obviously you can’t take the direct route – but even if you have to take
diversions, shortcuts and cross obstacles in nature – your GPS receiver
always brings you back to the right direction. When you are around 15 metres
away from the target, you have to start with the actual search.
With a bit of flair it shouldn’t be much of a problem to find the cache!
Take also into consideration the pictures and hints on the previously handed
out prints, they make the search easier. The treasure itself is a small
waterproof container which contains little things you can choose from. These
are mainly things like key hangers, ski zips or tiny toys. IMPORTANT:
In exchange, you have to leave an object of similar or higher value, so
there is a treasure for the next person to find.
Aside from the cache treasures, the box contains a log book. Here you
have to fill in the date and your name as a proof that you were actually
successful in finding the cache. Furthermore, you fill in the name of the
object you have taken out. The log book, the pencil and the sharpener
have to remain in the box!
How do I record my findings on the net?
All official geocaches which are hidden all over the world are
registered on
www.geocaching.com. Here you
can register your findings.
- Go on
www.geocaching.com
- For “username”, type in Gaeste von Markus and for password Gast.
Next,
press the login button.
- In the right upper corner, you can see now the field “You are logged in
as
Gaeste von Markus”. Click on the yellow “Gaeste von Markus” –
field.
- Open the Watch list (next to the Quick view in the right upper corner)
where
you can find the three hidden caches alpe-cacheI to alpe cacheIII. Click
on the
cache you searched for.
- Now you are on the info site of the cache you know already from the
printout.
There you can read descriptions of the cache and reports from other
finders
(or non-finders). On the right hand side, there is a Navigation box. In
this box,
click on log your visit.
- At Type of log, press Select One. With the arrow at the right hand
side of
the select box, go to Found It (if you have found the cache). Put
the date
when you found the cache into “Date Logged”.
- In the field Comments you can type in who you are and what you experienced
during the search. Please don’t leave too obvious hints concerning the
hiding
place so that the next finder still can have fun finding the treasure.
Note also
what you took and what you put in (e.g. key hanger out, plastic toy in).
When
you are finished, scroll down and press “Submit log entry”.
- Now you can see “Gaeste von Markus found alpe cacheI –
Wassermühle” (or the name of the cache you found). If you click now
on the
name of the cache, you can see your entry at the bottom of the list –
among
all the other finders.
Have fun!!
alpe-cache I - Wassermühle |
